Scott & Crockwell On Bus Operator Health, Safety
[Updated] “The OBA’s foot dragging and mismanagement of health and safety grievances by PTB workers is further damaging labour relations and could have ramifications for public bus users,” Shadow Transport Minister Lawrence Scott said today [Feb 9].
According to Mr Scott, “Among the grievances identified by PTB workers:
- Flooding in the men’s room whenever it rains
- Stench of sewage in the lunchroom
- One worker falling through the restroom floor in the Dockyard facility as a result of its weakening from flooding
- An infestation of centipedes at the restrooms at the St. George’s facility
- Up to 50% of buses out of service due to lack of parts needed to address a/c and overheating issues
- Failure to take action on violence directed at Bus Operators
Mr Scott added, “The PLP recommended the introduction of security cameras on public buses over a year ago, to not only deter violence against bus operators, but to ensure that anyone who commits an act of violence on our buses is identified, arrested and punished with the full weight of the law. In meetings with Bus Operators, both the Minister of Transport and the Premier were said to agree with this measure. Yet to date there has been no action.
“Bus operators deserve good, safe working conditions and a government that acts to protect their wellbeing and physical safety. We encourage the OBA to face the problem and address these legitimate and pressing concerns.”
Update Feb 9, 4.55pm: In response, Minister of Tourism Development and Transport Shawn Crockwell said,“Mr. Scott highlighted a few issues that I would like to clarify as these statements were indeed inaccurate.
“With respect to flooding in the men’s room whenever it rains. I have been advised that this facility did experience damage from a leak that was repaired some time ago. However, while the leak no longer exists, the damage that resulted is in need of repair which will be carried out by the Ministry of Public Works.
“Additionally, in response to his allegation regarding a stench of sewage in the lunchroom. This odor emanates from the Tynes Bay Waste Treatment facility and occurs infrequently when the winds are out of the Northwest.”
The Minister added that the issue with a worker falling through the restroom floor in the Dockyard is in the process of being resolved and a contractor has been identified to make the necessary repairs.
Regarding the allegations about the St. George’s facility and buses out of service, the Minister said: “We are not aware of an infestation of centipedes at the restrooms at the St. George’s facility.
”Additionally, Mr. Scott’s allegation about 50% of buses being out of service, is also inaccurate. There is a backlog of repair work, some of which requires time consuming diagnostic work and assistance from the manufacturer’s technical representatives who are currently on island.
“Out of a fleet of 112 buses there are currently 42 that are being serviced and we are confident that with the assistance of the technicians from overseas we will make significant progress. However, it is important to stress that there has been very little disruption of service as a result of these buses being out of service.”
With respect to driver safety, Minister Crockwell stressed that, “Driver safety is our main priority. There are currently 15 new buses with security cameras and all future buses will be equipped with cameras. In addition, in 2012 the Omnibus (Conduct) Regulations were amended to broaden the offences for which charges could be laid against individuals who target public transport workers.”
The Minister concluded, “It is quite disturbing that the Opposition MP, Mr. Lawrence Scott, once again, has issued a statement that is largely inaccurate and adds nothing constructive. He continues to offer commentary that is nothing more than an attempt at political point scoring.”
And this has what to do with the OBS (or, indeed, PLP)? This is a Management issue, civil service. Have a go at the Permanent Secretary, or least understand how Government/Civil Service works.
Guess this is just the opening salvo ahead of another strike.
How IRONIC when just two years ago it was the Ministers fault, what a difference a party makes.
Every item on Mr. Scott’s list requires money the government does not have. Yes, it’s all the OBA’s fault…
issat Muhammad Luigi O’Goldberg?
Methinks thy tongue is in yer cheek
(aside from the fact de government is broke!)
MONEY THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE ???????????????????????????????????
Does $77 Million for America’s Cup ring a bell !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DING DING DING
Does $800 MILLION dollars deemed unaccounted for during the PLP years RING A BELL. That is just missing money, not wasyte=age, or questionable overages and gifted contracts like.
Proactive -Berkely
TCD
Dame Lois
Cruise Ship Warf
Cement Company
is there really a need to go on Mockingjay!
Now dealing with the issue at hand.
that $77 million is not an expenditure – it’s a guarantee that only gets paid out in the event of certain revenue shortfalls
@ Mockingjay
The $77m spent was an investment- I know this is a basic economic concept that some people on this island seem to have trouble understanding but investments are being made to generate FUTURE revenue for our fledgling economy. The opposition blowhards love to provide one side of an argument- complain about spending money on the America’s cup while ignoring the revenue side of the equation. Conversely they protest about $1B in lost revenue from the airport and completely ignore any future expense savings.
Picking and choosing facts to promote an agenda.
Thank you to the PLP for providing more case for privatization of the department, the government, both former and current have shown zero ability to run public transport, the department that runs the transport has shown zero ability to manage the resource.
I join with Shadow Minister Scotts plea to remove this department from the ineptitude of the current government and into the private sector!
fix the stench and the bathrooms please – how can management allow things to deteriorate to this level?
Sounds like another govt dept is not doing their job!! Do not blame this on the OBA as they should not micro manage the process as the PLP did.
PRIVITIZE THE BUS SERVICE.
we need busses that run everywhere not on the same OLD ROUTES that they have for 60 years.
The bus service is run for the drivers not the people.
Let the Private sector BUY the busses
Let the Private sector REPAIR the busses
Let the private sector RUN the buss service.
Let the private sector FIND the customers.
A more efficient bus service would take many cars off the road.
Love the passion, but I’m pretty sure the buses run on all roads they’ll fit on!
@haha
If privatization were to occur they would need:
Smaller buses that use less gas, fit on more roads and cheaper to maintain.
Run these buses on a decent schedule based on how many people catch them at the same time. (I.e. Actually run buses every 15 minutes and maybe even every 10 minutes on busy routes in the peak of the tourist season such as southshore).
I guess those buses EB’s crew bought in all those years ago and the bus drivers supposedly threw the keys away are not useable by now remember they were spzed to be used for the runs I guess Spanish Point Harriz bae St Davids when the early morning runs were done – another waste of money by the PLP
If they are good and can be used do so tht is if the keys can be found
Don’t follow your logic ‘bluebird’.
You have this thing about “private sector”.
I love the one about ” FIND customers”.
Your last line speaks volumes.
“take cars off the road”.
What will I do with my new SUV and Bee Amm Dubleyoo.
I need a rum.
Hold on awhile. The various minibus services are working on it. Give them time & they will run the Government buses right out of business. The drivers will have all the time in the world to attend meetings & the management will…um…I guess they will do whatever they do no which appears to be not much.
We dont need anymore minibuses taxi drivers are waiting in line for hours or driving around for hours at end waiting for jobs to appaer on their expensive gps (EB again)and dont lets talk about $$$ spent on gas diesel tires wear and tear on these expensive taxis use them or lose them it has been said
Are minibuses regulated as proper buses (with set routes, etc) or as hired vans? Because it otherwise seems unfair for taxis if their competition is a service that can do the same job yet doesn’t have to comply with other regulations that taxis do.
The new owners will charge the ppl an exorbitant amount of money to ride the buses. Hence more cars on the road, because ppl would rather travel in comfort, listen to their own music, privacy, no smelly or disruptive passengers, than pay ridiculous prices and be subjected to those things.
No, privatisation does not necessarily mean that the business will have to stand on its own. Government would stil subsidise in order to keep fares low. The subsidy would be less than what public transport costs taxpayers now which probably exceeds 70% of operating costs.
Sure let the private sector do all this and they charge you whatever they want hence no more FREE bus rides!! Complaints now to charge $1.00 what the heck you think you going to pay than?
Everything costs money, something the Civil Service has no understanding of!
What is the mandatory Health and Safety Committee doing about this?
In a meeting talking about it probably.
How much credence can we give Mr. Scott’s comments when he can’t even get the Department name correct. It’s the Department of Public Transportation (DPT) and has been for several years. Simply more mud being thrown by the opposition to see if it sticks. Will ferries be next?
And of course, all these problems began to appear after December, 2012. Before that everything was hunky-dory.
Health and Safety is not seriously taken by Bermudian culture overall. These issues and others across government were the same under PLP and OBA.
Does this mean Cup Match is cancelled?
Oh us poor common folk.
And here’s another example the OBA having to correct what someone from the PLP has either a) created in their head or b) simply doesn’t understand.
Really ! Twenty five months and still you blame the other guy for the NOW shortcomings of THIS administration .
Can you read at al!? I never blamed the PLP for anything. All I said was that the OBA had to correct the PLP – AGAIN!
14 years of OVER RUNS,OVER SPENDING and the Lord knows what else, and you blame no one !! That makes YOU one of the guilty ones IMOP! 25 MONTH`S ,,, PLEASE !!!
Now this is really funny.
Leak/s in the bathroom.
Aim right. Do right.
Now lets all take a leak………………..
HA! Sometimes you are not well at all.
Don’t get it twisted Mr. Scott or even try to turn the tides on the OBA, as these issues were bought to the PLP long before the present government where in power. If the truth be told it is the PLP that dropped the ball. The situations mentioned have gotten worse. So please stop blaming the OBA, and except that this is another mess that the PLP left, which needs to be cleaned up by the OBA. I am a Bus Operator!!!!
I’m also a bus operator unless you have just started most of those issues have come about over the last 15 months…lets me honest
Nah look u bies ve bin livin wif dos centapees fah yurs in Sn Davis nava hurd bout no centapee cuncirn up der at de bus turminul de bus dryvos step on dah hads game ovuh
About 40 % over the requirement, that fits in with the Government model
Any other jurisdiction heads would have rolled people would have been fired. This is pathetic and has been going on for far too long. When are those who make all the decisions gonna get their collective acts together? It’s a bloody joke.
All I wanna know is, would any of you work under these conditions, and not make a stink about it? Although these problems may have existed during PLP, OBA in control now, so show us better, and lead by example and stop pointing fingers. Does this mean the problem will remain ignored until the next Govt comes in?
Close St. Georges and Dockyard and privatise now for a start. All this sounds like staff not up to the task letting these places get like this and waiting for someone else to fix it !
Their job is not to repair the facilities, their job is to drive the buses. Just like teachers’ jobs are not to repair the school, but to teach! Some of you really dont have a clue.
Hand the Bus Service over to the Private Sector,watch how the biu cries foul,but watch how the service quickly improves!
I have to admit, it was somewhat humorous hearing Minister Shawn Crockwell state there’s not 50% of the fleet of 50 Public Buses off of the roads. Yet, if not mistaken, the Minister said it to be 42 buses,,, Well, that’s damn near 50%
)
Now, here’s where (possibly) “the rubber meets the road.” The bus drivers are unionized and of course it is no secret the relationship there is between the Opposition Progressive Labour Party and the Bermuda Industrial Union (B.I.U.)So, “do I smell a rat here?” with so many buses etc. and the other things happening with the buses and their facilities throughout the Island? (Just curious
I’m not 100% sure how things work in Government Departments so I may be wrong here but it sounds to me like these matters could be resolved easily by low level supervisors who are simply afraid to make decisions.
Why can’t someone in a minimal role of authority just pick up the phone and call a plumber, call a mason/carpenter, call a sanitation service & call BDA pest control to come and FIX those problems?
Then send the bills up the line to whomever pays for all that.
On the same note, buy your own dash cams and send those bills up the line too.
It is easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.
I don’t want to say much about the broken down buses because I don’t know if those need a ‘special’ mechanic or if any mechanic can do it?
Just DO IT! Get it fixed! Let Government deal with the bills later. If you wait for ANYONE higher up to do it, we will no longer need buses by the time that happens. We will all have our own hover craft or flying cars!
No. You have no idea how things work in government. If only it were that simple!!!
No you cannot call a plumber, you have to wait for W & E.
You cannot write a purchase order to fix anything, due to financial oversights, only upper bosses can do so…
Um. Notwithstanding the Minister’s response, it looks like the statements made by MP Scott were largely correct.